And you do have evidence except that single drawing that they would make 6 cell modules??? Drawings aren’t a real proof and we haven’t seen anything from testing either, so we will just have to wait and see, a 8 or 4 cell module isn’t a proof of having something different from Shtil up till now, nor is a 6 cell module proof of really having Shtil.
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32 cell Shtil-1 VLS is simply too big for 3000 DWT 054A’s B position , X4 or X8 format all wouldn’t work in that narrow position, Russian’s own FFG under development currently (Wouldn’t enter service till 2009?) with such 32/36 module Shtil-1 VLS is around 4500 tons.

Yeah I like to see those covers removed. Remember the 051Cs also had me confused for a while because they had somethings that were covered and suggestively from a distance they looked like Orekhs, but when the covers were removed, they were not.

On the model, they look like Orekhs to me though, and Almaz has gone on the record trying to make a big sale of the VLS Shtil-1 to China, so my instincts to tell me it should be VLS Shtil-1.

Well, if the Russian Shtil-1 VLS ready,, we would have already seen them on the latest Sovremenny-class Destroyers delivered to China, No point China ordered so expensive and important vessels without more proper air defense system to defend them but could find such VLS Shtil-1 on less important and cheaper 054A FFG. If there were news to confirm Shtil-1 VLS is ready but only awaiting a customer, then we must see them on Sovremenny-class Destroyers delivered to PLAN, otherwise, the ASSUMPTION that Shtil-1 VLS on less important 054A doesn’t stand. No reason DDGs don’t have but FFGs have.

Secondly, we never see HQ-16 doesn’t mean it does not exist, we also never see HHQ-9 which is carried by 052C but nowadays even Pentagon never deny its existence. There are just no single clue in Chinese internet based military communities suggesting Shtil-1 VLS being used on 054A FFG, so does the usually big mouthed Russian media. Even Kanwa, usually track the Chinese military developments via the Russian weapon export to China, denied there’re any Russian export of Shtil-1 VLS to China, do check the website of Kanwa, this Jane’s report also written by Pinkov, the Chief editor of Kanwa.

There’re Chinese source suggests HQ-16 was test fired and subsequently certificated at the end of 2004, the delay of the HQ-16 already seriously delay the launching of 054A FFG although PLAN in such a great need of decent air-defense surface vessels. The procedure taking 2 years just reveal PLAN is impossible take a immature Russian system according to many sources still under final testing into its own frigate.

So, we can be pretty much assured the 32-unit VLS is not Shtil-1 but Chinese own system

The “Top plate” alike search radar on 054A is call “sea eagle” 3D S/C band radar, apparently with strong Russian influence.